James Hendler, senior constellation professor of the Tetherless World Research Constellation and assistant dean for information technology

James Hendler and Jeffrey Trinkle Selected as 2010 IEEE Fellows

James Hendler, the senior constellation professor of the Tetherless World Research Constellation and assistant dean for information technology, and Jeffrey Trinkle, professor of computer science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, have been selected as fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Fellowship is reserved for senior members of the IEEE who demonstrate extraordinary accomplishments in security, healthcare, space, smart grid/energy, or sustainable energy.

IEEE cites Hendler “for contributions to artificial intelligence, and development of the Semantic Web.” Trinkle was cited “for contributions to analysis of robotic grasping and dexterous manipulation.”

“We are exceptionally proud to have both of these highly accomplished computer scientists as colleagues and teachers here at Rensselaer,” said Acting Dean of Science David Spooner. “Professor Trinkle has made important strides in the area of robotic algorithms and has served as teacher and mentor to many exceptional Rensselaer students. Professor Hendler has quickly become a leader here at Rensselaer and remains one of the world’s foremost experts on the World Wide Web.”

Hendler joined Rensselaer in January 2007. Prior to joining the Institute he was a professor at the University of Maryland, where he also served as director of the Joint Institute for Knowledge Discovery and co-director of the Maryland Information and Network Dynamics (MIND) Laboratory. He is widely known as one of the creators of the Semantic Web, a new vision for the Web that allows computers to draw much more information from the data that is presented on Web pages.

Hendler received a bachelor’s degree in computer science and artificial intelligence from Yale University, a master’s degree in cognitive psychology and human factors engineering from Southern Methodist University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in computer science and artificial intelligence from Brown University. He is a fellow of the American Association of Artificial Intelligence and the British Computer Society, editor-in-chief emeritus of the journal IEEE Intelligent Systems, and the first computer scientist to serve as a reviewing editor for the journal Science. Hendler also is a past recipient of a Fulbright Foundation Fellowship and former chief scientist of the Information Systems Office at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He is a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Hendler also serves as a director of the international Web Science Research Initiative, and was recently named president of the Semantic Web Science Association.

Jeffrey Trinkle, professor of computer science

Trinkle joined Rensselaer in 2003. Prior to joining the Institute he was a research scientist at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has also served on the faculty at the University of Arizona and Texas A&M University. Trinkle’s research focuses on robotic manipulation, multibody dynamics, and automated manufacturing.

Trinkle received bachelor’s degrees in physics from Ursinus College and engineering science and mechanics from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He received a doctorate in systems engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He served as chair of the computer science department at Rensselaer for five years and has won numerous awards for his teaching and research.

Trinkle Wins Humboldt Research Award
Professor of Computer Science Jeffrey Trinkle also has received a Humboldt Research Award. The award, which is given by the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation, recognizes Trinkle’s lifetime research achievements and helps support his future work.

The Humboldt Foundation is part of the German Ministry of Education. The Humboldt Research Award is among its most prestigious honors. The award recognizes researchers from around the world and fosters increased research collaboration with German research institutions. Awards winners are invited to spend time working with elite German institutions to share international knowledge in their field.

Trinkle has been recognized for his fundamental discoveries in the field of robotic algorithms and movement. The award recognizes his past insights as well as his expected major future accomplishments in the field.
The award includes a prize of approximately 60,000 EUR to foster the prize winner’s future research achievements. Past winners of the award range from biologists to physicians and physicists.